Aviation industry leaders have already signed up for the next edition of the Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS), more than a year ahead of the event.
The second bi-annual BIAS will take place at the Sakhir Airbase from 19 to 21 January 2012, under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad.
Co-organizers Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA) and Farnborough International Limited (FIL) said several local and international firms have already signed up.
They include TAG Aeronautics, Gulfstream, Bahrain Airport Services (BAS), Bahrain Economic Development Board, Bexair, Gulf Air, Mena Aerospace, and Lockheed Martin. This is in addition to Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), Cessna, and Gulf Technics.
BIAS Supreme Organizing Committee Deputy Chairman and CAA Under-Secretary Captain Abdul Rahman Al Gaoud said the 'ground-breaking' event introduced a unique and individual concept to participants.
FIL exhibitions and events Director Amanda Stainer said that the newly developed bespoke venue at Sakhir Air Base offers a fantastic tailor-made hospitality environment.
'The results from 2010 have proved beyond doubt that a clearly focused event orchestrated to attract the highest level of delegations and visitors is precisely what the industry wanted,' she said.
'We will continue to develop the concept to deliver a very high-level trade event offering a genuinely exclusive opportunity.'
Ministers, foreign diplomats, industry leaders and members of the public were among the thousands to flock to the purpose-built Sakhir facility for the inaugural show held in January this year.
Over the course of the 3-day event, some $1 billion (BD378 million) worth of orders were placed with participating companies.